Comparison and Agreement of Toxic and Essential Elements Between Venous and Capillary Whole Blood.

For practical and ethical reasons, there is an interest in the use of capillary blood as an alternative to classical human biomonitoring methods that use venipuncture. However, with the exception of Pb, few elements have been studied in detail to understand potential differences in measures between capillary and venous blood. To increase our understanding of the agreement in concentrations of select toxic metal(loid)s and essential minerals in venous and capillary whole blood.

Lead (Pb) exposure assessment in dried blood spots using Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence (TXRF).

Lead (Pb) exposure is often determined through the analysis of whole blood though venipuncture poses ethical, economic, and logistical barriers. Dried Blood Spots (DBS) may help overcome such barriers though past studies measuring Pb in DBS have been challenged with quality control, small sample volumes, and other issues. Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence (TXRF) may help address some of these challenges but has yet to be used to measure Pb in DBS.

Bioaccumulation of metal(loid)s in Cardisoma crassum and pollution assessment in a mangrove protected area in Mexico.

The bioaccumulation of several elements in "mouthless crabs" (Cardisoma crassum) and their concentrations in environmental samples were assessed in a mangrove forest within a natural protected area located in the middle of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The concentrations of Al, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Sr, Si, V, and Zn in sediments, mangrove litterfall, and pore water and their bioaccumulations in the muscle and shell tissue of C. crassum were determined during rainy and dry seasons.